Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects
Abstract Invasive forest insects can induce tree mortality in two ways: (a) by directly harming trees; or (b) by influencing forest owners to pre‐emptively harvest threatened trees. This study investigates forest owners’ intentions to harvest trees threatened by invasive insects. Our first objective...
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doaj-4d9f1ce66c6349c394d6d5ea602b821f2020-11-25T03:23:45ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142020-03-012120421610.1002/pan3.10065Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insectsJonathan R. Holt0Mark E. Borsuk1Brett J. Butler2David B. Kittredge3Danelle Laflower4Meghan G. MacLean5Marla Markowski‐Lindsay6David Orwig7Jonathan R. Thompson8Civil and Environmental Engineering Duke University Durham North CarolinaCivil and Environmental Engineering Duke University Durham North CarolinaFamily Forest Research Center USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Amherst MassachusettsDepartment of Environmental Conservation Family Forest Research Center University of Massachusetts–Amherst Amherst MassachusettsHarvard Forest Harvard University Petersham MassachusettsHarvard Forest Harvard University Petersham MassachusettsDepartment of Environmental Conservation Family Forest Research Center University of Massachusetts–Amherst Amherst MassachusettsHarvard Forest Harvard University Petersham MassachusettsHarvard Forest Harvard University Petersham MassachusettsAbstract Invasive forest insects can induce tree mortality in two ways: (a) by directly harming trees; or (b) by influencing forest owners to pre‐emptively harvest threatened trees. This study investigates forest owners’ intentions to harvest trees threatened by invasive insects. Our first objective is to identify and characterize agent functional types (AFTs) of family forest owners in the northeastern United States using a set of contingent behaviour questions contained in a mail survey. We establish AFTs as a form of dimension reduction, effectively casting landowners into a typology in which each type (AFT) has distinct probabilities of tree harvesting in response to forest insects. Our analysis identifies three functional types of landowners: ‘Cutters’ (46% of respondents; high intent to harvest trees impacted by invasive forest insects), ‘Responsive Cutters’ (42% of respondents; intent sensitive to insect impact severity), and ‘Non‐cutters’ (12% of respondents; low intent to cut). Our second objective is to model AFT membership to predict the distribution of AFTs across the landscape. Predictors are chosen from a set of survey, geographic and demographic features. Our best AFT‐prediction model has three predictor variables: parcel size (hectares of forest), geographical region, and town‐level forested fraction. Application of the model provides a high‐resolution probability distribution of AFTs across the landscape. By coupling human and insect behaviour, our results allow for holistic assessments of how invasive forest insects disturb forests, inclusive of the management response to these pests. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10065agent functional typesconjoint analysiscoupled natural‐human systemfamily forest ownersforest insect pestsforest management |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jonathan R. Holt Mark E. Borsuk Brett J. Butler David B. Kittredge Danelle Laflower Meghan G. MacLean Marla Markowski‐Lindsay David Orwig Jonathan R. Thompson |
spellingShingle |
Jonathan R. Holt Mark E. Borsuk Brett J. Butler David B. Kittredge Danelle Laflower Meghan G. MacLean Marla Markowski‐Lindsay David Orwig Jonathan R. Thompson Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects People and Nature agent functional types conjoint analysis coupled natural‐human system family forest owners forest insect pests forest management |
author_facet |
Jonathan R. Holt Mark E. Borsuk Brett J. Butler David B. Kittredge Danelle Laflower Meghan G. MacLean Marla Markowski‐Lindsay David Orwig Jonathan R. Thompson |
author_sort |
Jonathan R. Holt |
title |
Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
title_short |
Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
title_full |
Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
title_fullStr |
Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
title_full_unstemmed |
Landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
title_sort |
landowner functional types to characterize response to invasive forest insects |
publisher |
Wiley |
series |
People and Nature |
issn |
2575-8314 |
publishDate |
2020-03-01 |
description |
Abstract Invasive forest insects can induce tree mortality in two ways: (a) by directly harming trees; or (b) by influencing forest owners to pre‐emptively harvest threatened trees. This study investigates forest owners’ intentions to harvest trees threatened by invasive insects. Our first objective is to identify and characterize agent functional types (AFTs) of family forest owners in the northeastern United States using a set of contingent behaviour questions contained in a mail survey. We establish AFTs as a form of dimension reduction, effectively casting landowners into a typology in which each type (AFT) has distinct probabilities of tree harvesting in response to forest insects. Our analysis identifies three functional types of landowners: ‘Cutters’ (46% of respondents; high intent to harvest trees impacted by invasive forest insects), ‘Responsive Cutters’ (42% of respondents; intent sensitive to insect impact severity), and ‘Non‐cutters’ (12% of respondents; low intent to cut). Our second objective is to model AFT membership to predict the distribution of AFTs across the landscape. Predictors are chosen from a set of survey, geographic and demographic features. Our best AFT‐prediction model has three predictor variables: parcel size (hectares of forest), geographical region, and town‐level forested fraction. Application of the model provides a high‐resolution probability distribution of AFTs across the landscape. By coupling human and insect behaviour, our results allow for holistic assessments of how invasive forest insects disturb forests, inclusive of the management response to these pests. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. |
topic |
agent functional types conjoint analysis coupled natural‐human system family forest owners forest insect pests forest management |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10065 |
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